Coding method and coding apparatus for coding a serial data stream

ABSTRACT

An initial data stream is coded using a first set of n coders to form n coded data streams, which are subsequently punctured by combining the n coded data streams with a first puncturing data field to form a first punctured data stream. The initial data stream is also interleaved using k interleaving circuits to produce k interleaved data streams, which are subsequently coded using a set of m coders to form m coded interleaved data streams. In addition, a second puncturing data field is interleaved to form an interleaved puncturing data field. The m coded interleaved data streams are subsequently punctured by combining the m coded interleaved data streams with the interleaved puncturing data field to form a second punctured data stream. The initial data stream, the first punctured data stream and the second punctured data stream are multiplexed to form a transmission data stream.

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

Coding method and coding apparatus for coding a serial data stream.

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a coding method and a coding apparatus forcoding a serial data stream using “turbo codes”.

2. Background

The coding matches the data stream from an information data source to atransmission system in order to increase the security of informationtransmission against interference. In the mobile radio sector, thetransmission channel is subject to particularly severe interference. Anew class o- coders have therefore been developed, “turbo coders”, whichare particularly suitable for coding data to be transmitted in themobile radio sector. Turbo coders are binary interlinked codingapparatuses comprising a plurality of interlinked coders. In thiscontext, a distinction is drawn between serial-interlinked turbo codersand parallel-interlinked turbo coders.

FIG. 1 shows the design of a serial-interlinked turbo coding apparatusbased on the prior art. A serial data stream d originating from aninformation data source is supplied to a data read-in device for readingin the data d, which reads in the data and codes them to form dataframes of predetermined length. The data frames or data blocks arepassed to a first coder A, which codes each data item within the dataframe on the basis of a coding specification and outputs the coded dataas a code data block C1 to an interleaving circuit. The interleavingcircuit scrambles the coded data block C1 on the basis of aninterleaving association specification stored in the interleavingcircuit. The interleaving association specification or permutationmatrix assigns to each data position within the code data block C1 aparticular other data position. If the code data block comprises fivebits, the interleaving circuit assigns the data item at the firstposition in the coded data block C1, for example, to the first positionin the interleaved code data block C1′, while, by way of example, thedata bit situated at the second position in the code data block C1 isset to the third position of the interleaved code output data block C1′.

Table 1 shows an example of an interleaving association or interleavingspecification in which an output data sequence is produced from an inputdata sequence on the basis of the interleaving associationspecification.

TABLE 1 Input data sequence x₁ x₂ x₃ x₄ x₅ Output data sequence x₁ x₃ x₄x₅ x₂

As can be seen from Table 1, by way of example, the data bit read in atthe second position is not output until at the fifth position in theoutput data block which is output.

The interleaved coded data block C1′ is supplied to adownstream-connected coder B which carries out new coding to form acoded data block C2. The coded data block C2 is likewise interleaved byan interleaving circuit and is output via a modulation device to anantenna for data transmission. The coder A is also called the externalcoder, while the coder B is called the internal coder. The coder A, theinterleaving circuit I1 and the coder B form the actual data channelcoder.

The serial-interlinked turbo coding apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, doesnot perform systematic coding, since the data contained in the originaldata stream are not themselves transmitted, but instead only coded dataare transmitted.

The second group of turbo coders, namely the parallel-interlinkedcoders, also performs systematic coding. FIG. 2 shows the design of aparallel-interlinked turbo coder based on the prior art. A serial datastream originating from an information data source and having serialdata d is read in by a data read-in device and is combined in groups toform data blocks X. Each data block X comprises a plurality of data bitsx₁. The output of the data read-in device is connected to a first inputof a multiplexer by means of a line L1. In addition, the output of thedata read-in device is connected to the input of a first coder A bymeans of a line L2, said first coder coding the data block X on thebasis of a coding specification to form a coded data block C₁, andoutputting it to a puncturing device. In addition, the data block Xoutput at the output of the data read-in device via a line L3 isinterleaved or re-sorted by an interleaving circuit I on the basis of aprescribed permutation matrix. The interleaved data block I(X) issupplied to a second coder (B), which codes the interleaved data blockI(X) on the basis of a coding specification to form a code data blockC₂. The coded data block C₂ is likewise supplied to the puncturingdevice P.

The puncturing device P logically combines the coded data block C₁ andthe coded data block C₂ with a respective associated puncturing datafield. The puncturing by the puncturing device P is carried out in orderto increase the data transmission rate. The punctured coded data block P(C₁) and the punctured data block P (C₂) are applied to inputs of themultiplexer, which subjects the data block X which is read in and thetwo punctured data blocks P(C₁) and P(C₂) to time-division multiplexingto form a transmission data block S.

The text below describes the exact manner of operation of theparallel-interlinked turbo coder based on the prior art, as shown inFIG. 2, using an example to illustrate the problem on which theinvention is based. In this example, the length of the data frame is 5bits.

From a data source, a serial data stream is read in by the data read-indevice and is coded to form a data block X comprising 5 bits:

x=(x₁,x₂,x₃,x₄,x₅)

The coder A codes the read-in data block X on the basis of a codingspecification to form a code data block C₁:

C₁=(c₁₁,c₁₂,c₁₃,c₁₄,c₁₅)

The interleaving circuit I interleaves the read-in data block X on thebasis of the following interleaving association, for example:

TABLE 2 Input X Output I(x) x₁ x₁ x₂ x₃ x₃ x₄ x₄ x₅ x₅ x₂

The interleaved data block I(x) is supplied to the coder B, which codesthe interleaved data block on the basis of a coding specification toform a coded data block C₂:

C₂=(c₂₁,c₂₂,c₂₃,c₂₄,c₂₅)

To increase the data transmission rate, the puncturing device Ppunctures the data block C₁ coded by the coder A and the data block C₂coded by the coder B using a respective associated puncturing datafield.

The puncturing data field for puncturing the first coded data block C₁is as follows:

P₁=(10101)

The puncturing data field for puncturing the second coded data block C₂is as follows:

P₂=(01010)

By logically combining the first coded data block C₁ with the puncturingdata field P₁, a punctured coded data block P(C₁) having the followingform is produced:

P(C₁)=(c₁₁,0,c₂₃,0,c₂₅)

By puncturing the second coded data block C₂, a punctured coded datablock P(C₂) is produced:

P(C₂)=(0,c₂₂,0,c₂₄,0)

The multiplexer Mux multiplexes the read-in data block X and also thetwo punctured and coded data blocks P(C₁), P(C₂) output by thepuncturing device P to form a transmission data block S.

TABLE 3 X = (x₁, x₂, x₃, x₄, x₅) P(C₁) = (c₁₁, 0, c₁₃, 0, c₁₅), P(C₂) =(0, c₂₂, 0, c₂₄, 0) S = (x₁, c₁₁, x₂, c₂₂, x₃, c₁₃, x₄, c₂₄, x₅, c₁₅)

The transmission data block S, contains, firstly, a systematic codinginformation content, because the original read-in data x₁, x₂, x₃, x₄,x₅ are contained In the transmission data block S, and, secondly, thetransmission data block S contains a nonsystematic information content,on account of the coded data c.

However, the parallel-interlinked turbo coding apparatus based on theprior art, as shown in FIG. 2, has the drawback that an associated,nonsystematic coded data bit c is not transmitted as nonsystematicinformation content for each original data bit of the read-in data blockX, as becomes evident from the following table:

TABLE 4 $\begin{matrix}X & = & \begin{matrix}x_{1}\end{matrix} & x_{2} & \begin{matrix}x_{3}\end{matrix} & x_{4} & \begin{matrix}x_{5}\end{matrix} \\C_{1} & = & c_{11} & c_{12} & c_{13} & c_{14} & c_{15} \\{I(x)} & = & x_{1} & \begin{matrix}x_{3}\end{matrix} & x_{4} & \begin{matrix}x_{5}\end{matrix} & x_{2} \\C_{2} & = & c_{21} & c_{22} & c_{23} & c_{24} & c_{25}\end{matrix}$

The coded data bits c₁₁, c₂₂, c₁₃, c₂₄, c₁₅ which are contained in thetransmission data block S and form the nonsystematic information contentof the transmission data block S represent coded data bits for theoriginal data bits x₁, x₃, x₃, x₅ and x₅. For the original data bits x₂and x₄, no coded data bits c are contained in the transmission datablock S. The original data bits x₂, x₄ are transmitted merelysystematically. The absence of the coded data bits for the original datax₂ and x₄ makes the nonsystematic information content of thetransmission data block S lower than in a case in which each informationdata bit x has a corresponding coded data bit c transmitted for it.Accordingly, the bit error radio BFV rises with decreasing nonsystematicinformation content within the transmission data block S.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a codingmethod and a coding apparatus for coding a serial data stream in whichthe nonsystematic information content of the coded transmission datastream is at a maximum.

The invention provides a coding method for coding a serial data streamhaving the following steps:

a data stream output by a data source is coded using at least one coderto form a coded data stream;

the data stream output by the data source is interleaved on the basis ofpredetermined interleaving associations to form at least one interleaveddata stream;

the Interleaved data streams are coded using associated coders to formcoded interleaved data streams; the coded data streams and the codedinterleaved data streams are punctured by logic combination withassociated puncturing data fields,

the puncturing data field for puncturing a coded interleaved data streambeing interleaved before logic combination using that interleavingassociation which was used to interleave the coded interleaved datastream;

the data stream output by the data source and the punctured data streamsare multiplexed to form a transmission data stream.

Advantageous refinements of the method according to the invention arespecified in the subordinate subclaims.

The serial data stream output by the data source is preferably read inblock by block for coding purposes.

In one preferred development, the interleaving association forinterleaving the puncturing data field is read from the associatedinterleaving circuit. The interleaving association is preferably set.

In one preferred development, puncturing is effected by logicallycombining a data stream with a puncturing data field using a logiccircuit.

The invention also provides a coding apparatus for coding a serial datastream having,

a data input for applying the serial data stream;

at least one coder, connected to the data input, for coding the datastream to form a coded data stream;

at east one interleaving circuit, connected to the data input, forinterleaving the data stream to form an interleaved data stream on thebasis of an interleaving association,

the Interleaved data stream being coded by a coder, connected downstreamor the interleaving circuits, to form a coded interleaved data stream;

a puncturing device for puncturing the coded data stream and the codedinterleaved data stream using a respective puncturing circuit bylogically combining the data stream with a puncturing data field to formpunctured data streams, the puncturing device having a puncturinginterleaving circuit which interleaves the puncturing data field forpuncturing the coded interleaved data stream on the basis of theassociated interleaving association and outputs it to the puncturingcircuit for logic combination with the coded interleaved data stream;and having

a multiplexer for multiplexing the serial data stream and the punctureddata streams output by the puncturing device to form a transmission datastream.

In one preferred development of the coding apparatus according to theinvention, the puncturing interleaving circuit is connected to theassociated interleaving circuit by means of a read line for reading theinterleaving association.

The interleaving circuits preferably each have a memory for storing theinterleaving associations.

In one preferred development, the interleaving association in theinterleaving circuits can be set using a respective setting line.

In one preferred embodiment of the coding apparatus according to theinvention, the puncturing data fields can each be stored in memories inthe puncturing device.

Preferably, the puncturing data fields can be set using respectivesetting lines.

Preferably, the puncturing circuit is a logic circuit for logicallycombining the data stream with the puncturing data field.

In accordance with one preferred development, the puncturing data Fieldcontains a plurality of data elements which respectively adopt a logichigh H-state or a logic low L-state.

In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the coding apparatusaccording to the invention has a data read-in device which reads in theserial data stream applied to the data input in order to output datablocks of determined length.

In this context, the length of the data blocks can preferably be set.

In accordance with another preferred development, the coders arerecursive systematic convolutional coders.

The text below describes a preferred embodiment of the coding methodaccording to the invention and of the coding apparatus according to theinvention with reference to the appended drawings in order to illustratefeatures which are fundamental to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a serial-interlinked turbo coder based on the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a parallel-interlinked turbo coder based on the prior art;

FIG. 3 shows an inventive coding apparatus for coding a serial datastream.

DESCRIPTION

The inventive coding apparatus 1 for coding a serial data stream, asshown in FIG. 3, has a data input 2 to which a serial data stream outputby an information data source is applied. The serial data stream issupplied by means of a line 3 to a data read-in device 4 which reads inthe serial data and groups them to form data blocks. The length of thedata blocks or data frames can be set using a setting line 5. The signaloutput 6 of the data read-in device 4 outputs the data blocks to a firstsignal input 8 of a multiplexer 9 via a line 7. The data blocks at thesignal output 6 of the data read-in device 4 are also supplied, by meansof internal lines 10, 11, to a first coder 12 for the purposes of codingusing a first predetermined coding specification. In addition, the datablocks provided at the signal output 6 of the data read-in device 4 arepassed via internal lines 10, 13 to an interleaving circuit 14 whichinterleaves or resorts those data which are contained in the data blockon the basis of an interleaving association using a stored permutationmatrix, and outputs the interleaved data block at the output to a secondcoder 16 via a line 15. The coder 16 codes the interleaved data streampresent on the line 15 or the applied interleaved data block on thebasis of a predetermined coding specification to form a codedinterleaved data stream which is output via a line 17.

The data stream coded by the coder 12 is supplied to a first signalinput 19 of a puncturing device 20 via an output line 18. The puncturingdevice 20 has a further signal input 21, which is connected to theoutput line 17 of the coder 16 in order to receive the coded interleaveddata stream.

The puncturing device 20 contains a first puncturing circuit 22, whoseinput 23 is connected by means of a signal line 24 to the signal lineconnection 19 of the puncturing device 20. The puncturing circuit 22punctures the coded data stream received from the coder 12 using apuncturing data field which is stored in a first memory 25 of thePuncturing device 20. The puncturing circuit 22 logically combines thepuncturing data field stored in the puncturing data field memory 25 byreading the puncturing data field from the memory 25 via a line 26 andusing a logic circuit to logically combine it bit by bit with the codeddata stream at the signal input 23. The puncturing data field stored inthe puncturing data field memory 25 has a plurality of data elementswhich each adopt a logic high H-state or a logic low L-state. The dataelements contained in the puncturing data field are preferably logicallycombined bit by bit with the coded data stream applied to the signalinput 23 using a logic AND function. For this purpose, each data bit ofthe data block or data frame applied to the signal input 23 is logicANDed with a corresponding data element of the puncturing data field.Puncturing the coded data stream using the puncturing circuit 22 servesto increase the transmission bit rate. The punctured coded data streamis output to a signal output 27 of the puncturing circuit 22 and isapplied to a second signal input 29 of the multiplexer 9 via a line 28.

The coded interleaved data stream applied to the signal input 21 of thepuncturing device 20 is supplied via an internal line 30 to a signalinput 31 of a second puncturing circuit 32 contained in the puncturingdevice 20. The puncturing data field stored in a second puncturing datafield memory 33 of the puncturing device 20 is read via a line 34 into apuncturing interleaving circuit 35, where it is interleaved or re-sortedusing an interleaving association which is identical to thatinterleaving association of the interleaving circuit 14. For thispurpose, the interleaving circuit 35 is preferably connected to theinterleaving circuit 14 by means of a read line 36 for reading theassociated interleaving association. The interleaving associationspecification read into the interleaving circuit 35 of the puncturingdevice 20 via the read line 36 is applied to the puncturing data fieldstored in the puncturing data field memory and is passed, as Interleavedpuncturing data field, via a line 37 to the puncturing circuit 32, whichlogically combines the coded interleaved data stream applied to thesignal input 31 with the interleaved puncturing data field in order tooutput a punctured coded interleaved data stream to a signal output 38of the puncturing circuit 32. The coded interleaved data stream,punctured by the puncturing circuit 32, is passed via a line 39 to athird signal input 40 of the multiplexer 9.

The puncturing data fields stored in the two puncturing data fieldmemories 25, 33 can preferably be set using setting lines 41, 42. Inaddition, in one preferred embodiment, the interleaving association isinput Into the interleaving circuit 14 via a setting line 43. Themultiplexer 9 multiplexes the data streams applied to the signal inputs8, 29, 40, i.e. the serial data stream applied to the signal input 8,the coded serial data stream, punctured by the puncturing circuit 22,applied to the signal input 29 and also the coded interleaved serialdata stream, punctured by the puncturing circuit 32, applied to thesignal input 40, so that a transmission data stream S is output at thesignal output 44 of the multiplexer 9 via signal line 45.

In the inventive coding apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the nonsystematicinformation content is at a maximum, which means that the bit errorratio becomes minimal when the transmission data stream S is transmittedvia a transmission channel.

This becomes clear from the example below.

By way of example, the data read-in device 4 reads in a data block Xcomprising five bits.

X=(x₁,x₂,x₃,x₄,x₅)

The coder 12 codes the read-in data block X using a prescribed codingspecification to form a coded data block C₁.

C₁=(c₁₁,c₁₂,c₁₃,c₁₄,c₁₅)

The interleaving circuit 14 interleaves the data block X on the basis ofan interleaving association.

TABLE 2 Input X Output I(x) x₁ x₁ x₂ x₃ x₃ x₄ x₄ x₅ x₅ x₂

The coder 16 codes the data block interleaved by the interleavingcircuit on the basis of the interleaving association in accordance witha prescribed coding specification to form a coded interleaved data blockC₂.

C₂=(c₂₁,c₂₂,c₂₃,c₂₄,c₂₅)

The puncturing data field memory 25 stores a first puncturing data fieldP₁.

P₁=(10101)

The puncturing data field memory 33 stores a second puncturing datafield P₂.

P₂=(01010)

The interleaving circuit 35 reads the interleaving associationbuffer-stored in the interleaving circuit 14 and interleaves thepuncturing data field's data elements stored in the puncturing datafield memory 33 on the basis of this interleaving association to form aninterleaved puncturing data field I(P₂).

TABLE 5 P₂ I(P₂) 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1

The puncturing circuit 32 logically combines the interleaved puncturingdata field I(P₂) with the coded interleaved data block C₂ applied to thesignal input 31 to form a punctured data stream P₂′ (C₂), whereP′₂=I(P₂).

With I(P₂)=(0, 0, 1, 0, 1) and with C₂=(c₂₁, c₂₂, c₂₃, c₂₄, c₂₅), theresult is a punctured coded interleaved data stream P₂′ (C₂) at thesignal output 38 of the puncturing circuit 32 of: (0, 0, c₂₃, 0, c₂₅)

Hence, the following data blocks are applied to the signal inputs 8, 29,40:

TABLE 6 Signal input 8 x₁, x₂, x₃, x₄, x₅ Signal input 29 c₁₁, 0, x₁₃,0, c₁₅ Signal input 40 0, 0, c₂₃, 0, c₂₅

The multiplexer 9 multiplexes the three serial data items applied to thesignal inputs 8, 29, 40 to form a transmission data stream S.

S=x₁,c₁₁,x₂,x₃,c₁₃,c₂₃,x₄,x₅,c₁₅,c₂₅

As can be seen from the table below, a coded data bit c is transmittedas nonsystematic coding content of the transmission data stream for eachoriginal data bit x₁ of the read-in data block X.

TABLE 7 $\frac{\begin{matrix}X & = & \begin{matrix}x_{1}\end{matrix} & x_{2} & \begin{matrix}x_{3}\end{matrix} & x_{4} & \begin{matrix}x_{5}\end{matrix} \\C_{1} & = & C_{11} & c_{12} & C_{13} & C_{14} & C_{15}\end{matrix}}{\begin{matrix}{I(x)} & = & X_{1} & X_{3} & \begin{matrix}X_{4}\end{matrix} & X_{5} & \begin{matrix}X_{2}\end{matrix} \\C_{2} & = & C_{21} & C_{22} & C_{23} & C_{24} & C_{25}\end{matrix}}$

Thus, the coded data bit C₁₁ is generated from the original data bit x₁,the coded data bit cl₃ is generated from the original data bit x₃, thecoded data bit c₂₃ is generated from the original data bit x₄, the codeddata bit c₁₅ is generated from the original data bit x₅ and the codeddata bit c₂₅ is generated from the original data bit x₂. Thenonsystematic coding content of the transmission data block S is thus ata maximum, as a result or which the bit error ratio becomes minimal fortransmissions of the transmission data block S via a transmissionchannel.

In the coding apparatus according to the invention, the maximization ofthe nonsystematic coding content within the transmission data block isachieved by coupling the puncturing device 20 to the interleavingcircuit 14, from which the interleaving association is read via the line36 in order to interleave the puncturing data field P₂.

The puncturing of the serial data stream may be different for variousdata bit sequences of the data stream. The data stream received from thedata source is read in block by block for the purposes of furthercoding. In this context, the read-in data block X can have a pluralityof successive data sequences X₁, X₂ of different significance orimportance. In this case, a first data sequence X₁ of the read-in datablock X contains, by way of example, information which is of greatersignificance as compared with the information in another data sequenceX₂ of the read-in data block X. To ensure interference-free datatransmission, the data bits of the data sequence X₁ are thereforepreferably protected using a lower code rate than the less significantdata bits of the data sequence X₂ of the read-in data block X. This isachieved using a puncturing data field P which has a first puncturingdata element sequence P_(a), whose data elements are all in a logicH-state, and which has a second puncturing data element sequence P_(b),whose data elements are alternately in a logic high H-state and in alogic low L-state. The data bits of the first data sequence X₁ of theread-in data block X are thus not punctured by the first puncturing dataelement sequence P_(a) of the puncturing data field P, which means thata code rate of ⅓ is produced for these significant data bits togetherwith the systematic bits. The alternating puncturing of the successivedata sequence X₂ of the data block X using the second puncturing dataelement sequence P_(b) transmits exactly one nonsystematic bit togetherwith a systematic bit in each case, so that a code rate of ½ isproduced.

The unequal puncturing of the various data sequences of the serial datastream means that unequal error protection is implemented, where thesignificant data bits x₁ are especially protected by a low code rate.The simple production of unequal error protection for data sequences X₁which contain important information and data sequences X₂ which containless important information allows the same decoder co be used for bothdata sequences.

Unequal error protection is thus ensured in a very simple manner interms of circuitry. In addition, the nonuniform error protection in theinventive coding apparatus is particularly flexible, since thepuncturing data fields P stored in the puncturing data fields 25, 33 canbe set flexibly using the setting lines 41, 42 on the basis of a knowndata sequence format of the serial data stream.

List of reference symbols 1 Coding apparatus 2 Data input 3 Line 4 Dataread-in device 5 Setting line 6 Signal output 7 Line 8 Signal input ofthe multiplexer 9 Multiplexer 10 Line 11 Line 12 Coder 13 Line 14Interleaving circuit 15 Line 16 Coder 17 Line 18 Line 19 Signal input ofthe puncturing device 20 Puncturing device 21 Signal input of thepuncturing device 22 Puncturing circuit 23 Signal input of thepuncturing circuit 24 Line 25 Puncturing data field memory 26 Line 27Signal output of the puncturing circuit 28 Line 29 Signal input of themultiplexer 30 Line 31 Signal input of the puncturing circuit 32Puncturing circuit 33 Puncturing data field memory 34 Line 35 Puncturinginterleaving circuit 36 Read line 37 Line 38 Signal output of thepuncturing circuit 39 Line 40 Signal input of the multiplexer 41 Settingline 42 Setting line 43 Setting line 44 Signal output of the multiplexer45 Transmission signal line

What is claimed is:
 1. A coding method comprising: coding an initialdata stream to form n coded data streams using a first set of n coders,where n≧1, the initial data stream including a sequence of data bits;interleaving the initial data stream using k interleaving circuits byapplying a group of predetermined interleaving associations to form kinterleaved data streams, where k≧1; coding the k interleaved datastreams to form m coded interleaved data streams using a second set of mcoders, where m≧1; puncturing the n coded data streams to form a firstpunctured data stream by logically combining the n coded data streamswith a first puncturing data field; interleaving a second puncturingdata field based on the group of predetermined interleaving associationsto form an interleaved puncturing data field; puncturing the m codedinterleaved data streams to form a second punctured data stream bylogically combining the m coded interleaved data streams with theinterleaved puncturing data field; and multiplexing the initial datastream, the first punctured data stream, and the second punctured datastream to form a transmission data stream, the transmission data streamincluding a data bit and a corresponding coded data bit generated by thedata bit.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving theinitial data stream by reading the initial data stream block by block.3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading the group ofpredetermined interleaving associations from the k interleavingcircuits.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting thegroup of predetermined interleaving associations.
 5. The method of claim1, wherein puncturing the n coded data streams includes using a logiccircuit to logically combine the n coded data streams with the firstpuncturing data field.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein puncturing them coded interleaved data streams includes combining the m codedinterleaved data streams with the interleaved puncturing data field. 7.A coding apparatus for coding a serial data stream, the coding apparatuscomprising: a first set of n coders connected to a data input, the firstset of n coders being configured to form n coded data streams from theserial data stream, where n≧1; k interleaving circuits connected to thedata in put, the k interleaving circuits forming k interleaved datastreams from the serial data stream by applying a group of predeterminedinterleaving associations, where k≧1; a second set of m coders,connected to an output of the k interleaving circuits, the second set ofm coders forming m coded interleaved data streams from the k interleaveddata streams, where m≧1; a puncturing device, the puncturing deviceincluding: a first puncturing circuit for puncturing the n coded datastreams by logically combining the n coded data streams with a firstpuncturing data field to form a first punctured data stream; apuncturing interleaving circuit for interleaving a second puncturingdata field using the group of predetermined associations to form aninterleaved puncturing data field; and a second puncturing circuit, thesecond puncturing circuit puncturing the m coded interleaved datastreams by logically combining the m coded interleaved data streams withthe interleaved puncturing data field to form a second punctured datastream; and a multiplexer multiplexing the serial data stream, the firstpunctured data stream, and the second punctured data stream to form atransmission data stream, the transmission data stream including a databit and a corresponding coded data bit generated by the data bit.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, further comprising a read line connecting thepuncturing interleaving circuit to each interleaving circuit.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 7, further comprising a memory located at eachinterleaving circuit, the memory being configured to store the group ofpredetermined interleaving associations.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7,further comprising a setting line configured to adjust each interleavingassociation.
 11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a memorylocated in the puncturing device, the memory being configured to storethe first puncturing data field and the second puncturing data field.12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a first setting lineconfigured to adjust the first puncturing data field and a second datafield configured to adjust the second puncturing data field.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 7, further comprising a puncturing device including alogic circuit for logically combining the n coded data streams with thefirst puncturing data field.
 14. The apparatus of claim 7, furthercomprising a puncturing device including a logic circuit for logicallycombining the m coded interleaved data streams with the interleavedpuncturing data field.
 15. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprisinga data read-in device, the data read-in device being configured to readand group the serial data stream to output data blocks of predeterminedlength.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a setting lineconfigured to adjust the length of the data blocks.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein the first set of n coders and the second set of mcoders are sets of recursive systematic convolutional coders.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the first puncturing data field and thesecond puncturing data field each contain a plurality of data elements,each data element being in a logic high state or a logic low state. 19.The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first puncturing data field andthe second puncturing data field each have a plurality of different dataelement sequences for puncturing data sequences of the serial datastream.
 20. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first puncturing datafield and the second puncturing data field each have a first dataelement sequence, the data elements of which are in a logic high statefor puncturing a first data sequence of the serial data stream, and asecond data element sequence, the data elements of which are alternatelyin a logic high state and a logic low state for puncturing a second datasequence of the serial data stream.